Not enough to go around: Wreath For Veterans chips in for Christmas gravesite decor efforts
Published 12:10 am Saturday, December 23, 2023
Volunteers adorn gravesites at the Salisbury National Cemetery during a Christmas wreath-laying project. - Submitted
Unfortunately, not every gravesite in Salisbury's veteran cemeteries received a wreath this Christmas. Volunteers laid out all that they were able to raise money for but still came up short. Organizers are seeking help to avoid it happening again next year. - Submitted
Eric Carter, left, and James Wallfred of Unifi in Greensboro unlaod wreaths from Wreaths Across America at the Salisbury National Cemetery earlier this month. - Submitted
SALISBURY — When a national organization that sends out wreaths to veteran cemeteries for the holidays came up short for Salisbury gravesites, a local group answered the call to fill the gap.
Every year, Wreaths Across America sends wreaths for veterans’ graves at the Salisbury National Cemetery and the Salisbury National Cemetery Annex. Between the two sites, there are thousands of graves.
This year, Wreaths Across America sent about 6,000 wreaths for the ceremony which was held last Saturday at both cemeteries. However, that left thousands more graves that would be unadorned. Thankfully, Wreath For Veterans, a Salisbury-based organization stepped up to ensure that the other graves were decorated.
Queen Williams is the location coordinator at the Salisbury National Cemetery for Wreaths Across America and she is also a member of Wreath For Veterans.
Williams said that they had about 5,600 wreaths at the annex and about 750 at the other cemetery.
“We were short at the old cemetery about 3,000 and at the annex we were short about 4,000,” Williams said. “The people who came out and were placing the wreaths kept asking the question, there is not one for this grave. They felt bad that there was not enough wreaths to go around.
“The only way that we were able to place as many wreaths on the gravesites as possible was because of Wreath For Veterans.”
Williams has been involved with Wreaths Across America since 2006. Meanwhile, Wreath For Veterans began three years ago.
Tom “Ski” Kopetsky was one of the organizers for Wreath For Veterans, along with Mike Satterfield and Joey Pickett.
Kopetsky said that the first year Wreath For Veterans raised $22,000 to purchase wreaths for gravesites in Salisbury. His organization works with Bottomley Evergreens & Farms to acquire the wreaths which are purchased for $8 each.
As the years have gone on, his organization has raised more and more money. Last year, they raised $45,000. This year they raised $56,000.
At $8 a piece, that equates to 7,000 wreaths. However, this year, Bottomley Evergreens & Farms threw in an extra 1,000 wreaths.
“Without Wreath For Veterans at the historical cemetery, we would have only been able to cover about 750 but instead we coved about 4,600,” Williams said.
The remaining wreaths were added to the effort at the annex.
Williams explained that the efforts to adorn the graves with the wreaths was a massive undertaking that involved several organizations and volunteers from around the community and elsewhere.
They also had special wreaths for each branch of military service, including the Merchant Marines, Space Force, Coast Guard and POWs, as well as Gold and Blue Star Families.
The task might be massive, but it’s important to the volunteers and organizations involved to show their respect and appreciation for veterans buried at the cemeteries.
“As we are remembering them this holiday season, we do it with wreaths,” Williams said. “We do it because we love the families. We do it because of the people who came before us and paid the price for us to have the freedoms that we have.”
To donate to Wreath For Veterans for next year’s project, visit wreathforveterans.org.
